Candidates appearing for the Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) 2022 are demanding deferment of the entrance test. Citing the rising case of Covi-19 as the key reason, candidates have started an online petition which has already garnered more than 24,000 signatures.

“With the current third wave, COVID-19 due to its new variant Omicron has spread severely in several states, cities. Several studies including one done by IIT Kanpur predict that the peak of the 3rd wave is expected in early February and the wave will end by April. Therefore the peak is most likely to coincide with the usual exam dates of GATE,” stated the petitioners.

They added, “If the exam dates are not postponed, the candidates appearing for GATE 2022 run an imminent risk of getting infected and spreading it thereby getting threat to their life as well as their family member’s lives.”

It further said, “On behalf of the GATE participants who have signed this petition, I request you to postpone the GATE 2022 exam dates to a safer date in the month of April.”